SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines – The Pampanga River has claimed two more lives.
Just as divers were looking on Wednesday for the bodies of five people, including three minors, who drowned in San Luis town, two children aged 12 and 13 who swam in the river in Apalit town went missing.
The bodies of 12-year-old Khaela Rufino and 13-year-old Lolita Mandap were recovered yesterday.
Police said the two children, along with four others, swam in a deep portion of the Pampanga River.
In San Luis town, a joint search team fished out the bodies of Alvin Guevarra, 30; his children Aldrey, 9, and Jovelyn, 8; and sister Rhea, 33; and Nigel Lucero, 9, a relative.
Two others, Michael Galaredo, 35, and Lienard Sieza, 14, survived by clinging to water lilies until a fisherman rescued them.
The group was crossing the river amid heavy rains when their banca capsized. They were just vacationing with relatives in San Luis. – Ding Cervantes, Ric Sapnu